by Alessandra De Poli

On 19 June, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Burmese democratic leader will turn 80 in prison, where she has been held since the military coup in February 2021. Despite her enforced silence, her son Kim Aris tells AsiaNews how his mother continues to be a source of hope for her people. In recent months, he has organised solidarity initiatives to raise funds and keep attention focused on the crisis.

Milan (AsiaNews) - Kim Aris' daily prayer is for peace: the civil war in Myanmar "can end in a bloodbath, which is how it's looking like at the moment, or people can start to talk, which is what I pray for every day, is that the bloodshed will stop and dialogue will begin. But that dialogue has to begin with the military stepping down and releasing all political prisoners, including my mother."

More than four years in detention have not silenced the voice of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who was imprisoned during the military coup in February 2021 that sparked the civil conflict. Her fight for democracy in Myanmar lives on through her son, Kim Aris, who, on the occasion of his mother's 80th birthday on 19 June, is promoting a series of solidarity initiatives to keep attention focused on the internal war and raise funds for the resistance.

He recently returned from a tour of the United States, where he travelled to accept the “Citizen of Burma Award” on behalf of his mother. Despite the turmoil in the current US context, the tour was a success in terms of solidarity: “I was able to meet many Burmese communities and raise over $ 400,000, which was desperately needed”.

This amount was made even more urgent by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck the country at the end of March, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis: ‘Obviously, before I left, I had no way of knowing that the earthquake would happen while I was there. So fundraising and awareness-raising became even more important.’

"We are basing the entire campaign on the number 80," the democratic leader's son explains to AsiaNews. At the heart of the initiative is a collection of video messages.

Anyone can record a message for Aung San Suu Kyi and upload it online: "We want to reach at least 80,000 for the world record. It's an opportunity for people to send their love after my mother's voice has been silenced, to let her know she hasn't been forgotten."

Kim Aris explains further: "All the messages will be stored electronically so we can show them to her when she is free." You can upload a virtual message (free of charge) via this link.

But Kim has also made it a personal challenge: "I will run 80 kilometres in eight days, 10 kilometres a day. I've never done anything like this before. I started on the 12th and will finish on her birthday, the 19th. It's a tribute to her life, her patient endrance. And it's a way to stay united for justice, freedom and hope in Myanmar."

The initiative is accompanied by a fundraiser: you can donate on the GoFundMe platform to support the Burmese resistance.

Kim's activism has inspired many people: "It's incredibly moving to find out that there are hundreds of people around the world willing to take action for my mother," comments Kim Aris.

He cites several examples: "A very elderly lady said she will try to take at least 80 steps a day. And there's a young Burmese actor I met in America who is aiming for 100 push-ups for eight days. Hundreds of people of all ages around the world have responded to my social media posts and taken up their own personal challenges, such as completing 80 acts of kindness, love or remembrance, donating 80 flowers, 80 food parcels, 80 books to schools, or physical activity challenges."

Although in different ways, Kim Aris seems to have perfectly taken on the role of his mother's heir, becoming an international reference point for the Burmese cause. "I don't consider myself a political activist because my mother never wanted me to get involved in politics, and activism somehow implies politics. But maybe it was a reverse psychology, you never know with mothers," reflects Aris, laughing.

"Everything I say and do can be interpreted as political, but in reality it's very personal to me." He adds: "Politics ties your hands in many ways. You can't do much when you become a politician. And trying to achieve results through politics is a very long and arduous process, as my mother knows very well. I like to see results a little faster."

Kim Aris shows us a photo of his mother behind him and shares what motivates him: "I feel like I'm never doing enough. After all, you can never do enough when the situation is so terrible. No, - he reiterates - it will never be enough."

The Burmese military, led by General Min Aung Hlaing, even used the earthquake as a weapon against the population: "The military tends to use any natural disaster as a way to turn aid into a weapon against the people, which means that the situation becomes more desperate every year. Historically, the military has always turned aid into weapons against its own people."

And the barbarity continues: "They didn't stop bombing people even after the earthquake. They declared a ceasefire, but broke it on the same day, I believe. And from what I understand, they did nothing to help many people after the earthquake. They were clearing buildings with bodies still inside, without allowing people to collect their belongings or their dead. The upcoming monsoon season increases the risk of disease outbreaks and hinders relief efforts."

The humanitarian crisis is growing every day: "At least 40 million people – nearly three-quarters of the population – now live in poverty or are extremely economically vulnerable. There are 3.5 million internally displaced persons due to conflict and natural disasters. The response plan for 2025 is only 7.8% funded, and aid cuts by international governments have further worsened the situation."

The Burmese are also driven forward by the still vivid and powerful memory of Aung San Suu Kyi, despite her detention. "She is the democratically elected leader. And the people still support her very much. The fact that so many people turned up at these events while I was in America shows that she still has enormous support," says Kim Aris, who does not believe the news that his mother was at one point moved to house arrest.

The silence imposed by the junta is actually one of the biggest concerns: "They won't let her communicate with me. I've sent parcels and letters and haven't received any replies. The last letter I received was over two years ago. And that's the only communication I've had since she was imprisoned."

"She has ongoing health problems with her teeth and heart and suffers from osteoporosis. I am extremely concerned about this. She will turn 80 in the next few days and will not receive the medical care she needs. The conditions in that prison are quite horrific from what I understand. Sean Turnell, who was her economic adviser, was in the same prison and his accounts of the conditions were not pleasant reading."

Despite everything, Aung San Suu Kyi continues to be a beacon of hope: “She has not been forgotten. From her prison walls, her unwavering courage in the face of adversity has been a source of strength for our nation, inspiring Burmese communities around the world and reminding us all of the critical importance of justice, freedom and human dignity”.

Kim Aris highlights a key aspect of her work: "During the few years of democracy she brought to the people of Burma, she accomplished what she considered her top priority: that people understand that they have the power to change things even on their own."

The reference is clearly to the international isolation in which the Burmese population has been abandoned: "I believe that resistance will prevail. It may take longer than we want and many more people may die along the way because we are not receiving any help from the outside world," he says.

"In recent years, the resistance has said that if it had 2% of what has been given to Ukraine, it would have already won this war. A little help from the international community would ensure that the world's youngest democracy gets back on track.‘

"Democracy will win," Kim Aris is convinced, because the determination of the Burmese people is unshakeable: "People are fighting for what they believe in and they will not stop. That is the point. They will never accept any form of military rule in the future."